CLEAPSS Important information on chemical storage

FAO Headteachers/ Heads of Science in Secondary Schools & Special Schools

Please find below an important message from CLEAPSS regarding the storage of 2,4 DNP (Dinitrophenyl hydrazine) in chemical stores.

Please ensure any appropriate action is taken based on the information provided.

Do you have any 2,4-DNP in your chemical store?

CLEAPSS has become aware that many schools are holding stocks of 2,4 DNP that has not been stored correctly.

2,4-DNP (2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, technically called 2,4-DNPH) should be stored as perHazcard 30. If the chemical has been stored as per our guidance then this chemical is safe to use.

If your 2,4 DNP has not been stored in the correct manner ie: the reagent bottle has not been placed inside an additional container of water or the water in the outer container has dried out, you must assume that the 2,4 DNP has dried out

If this is the case, DO NOT open the reagent bottle.

Call the CLEAPSS Helpline, for further advice. Tel: 01895 251 496

Specific advice on 2,4-DNP can be found on the CLEAPSS website.

Alternative Provision – guidance for commissioners and providers

The local authority has produced a set of guiding principles that Warwickshire schools should follow to ensure that the children and young people benefit from high quality provision which is safe, secure and appropriate to their individual needs.

The guidance covers 3 key areas:

• The role and functions of Warwickshire’s Area Behaviour Partnerships (ABPs)
• Planning and commissioning alternative provision
• The placement

For more information, please visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/alternativeeducationprovision.

Medical awareness training update

In order to support pupils at school with medical conditions, governing bodies must ensure that there is a school policy and a named person with responsibility for policy implementation.  Part of this responsibility is to ensure there are sufficient staff who have received suitable training and are competent before they take on responsibility to support children with medical conditions.

The School Health & Wellbeing Service is likely to be involved in the development of healthcare plans for pupils with medical conditions. Where training for staff has not been delivered by the School Health & Wellbeing Service and competence has not been assessed by the service, this will be recorded in the healthcare plan. Any concerns regarding the competence of staff will be raised with the headteacher and, where appropriate, the governing body.

The school must consider the following when commissioning medical awareness training:

• Quality assurance of the training being delivered
• The trainer having the appropriate professional qualification to confirm the competence of staff being trained
• Safeguarding  and DBS checks
• Appropriate insurances

Please see the statutory guidance for governing bodies of maintained schools and proprietors of academies in England for supporting pupils at school with medical conditions for further information.

If you would like to discuss this in more detail you can call the School Health & Wellbeing Service on 03300 245 204 or email them at warwickshireSH&WBService@compass-uk.org

Flu vaccinations

In Warwickshire one in three people are entitled to a free flu vaccination, yet every year thousands of people run the lottery of catching the potentially deadly illness rather than having the vaccine. 

 A recommendation from schools is one of the best ways to encourage people to have their vaccination. Please help to share the message. Click here to view the poster for the campaign

Education for All Bill

The government has confirmed that it will no longer be publishing the "Education for All" Bill, meaning it will no longer be a requirement for good schools to convert to academy status. In a statement to the House of Commons on 27th October, Justine Greening, the secretary of state for education, said that while her Department’s ambition remains for more schools to convert to academy status, the focus for now will be “building capacity in the system and encouraging schools to convert voluntarily” adding, “No changes to legislation are required” to achieve this.

However, it is still the government’s intention that “all schools should benefit from the freedom and autonomy that academy status brings”.

This has implications for the LA in relation to its statutory responsibilities for school improvement, as discussions indicate that the Education Services Grant – the grant for local authorities to support schools – will still be cut, yet the remaining education duties currently still remain with LAs.

There will be further consultation from January 2017 on the school system.

The early years foundation stage profile

Anti-Bullying Week 14th-18th November 2016

Next week (14th-18th November) is Anti-Bullying Week. The event, coordinated by the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA), shines a spotlight on bullying and encourages all children, teachers and parents to take a stand against bullying and to raise awareness. 

The theme this year is 'Power for Good' which encourages young people to realise the power they often hold and to ensure they use it for good.

The week is a great opportunity for you to reinforce the messages about how your school approaches bullying including ensuring your pupils know what to do if they are being bullied and how you will deal with anyone who bullies. 

Ways to get involved

• Register for Anti-Bullying Week updates by joining the free ABA School or College Network
• Download the Anti-Bullying Week logos and share on your website and newsletters
• Share your Anti-Bullying Week plans and activities online using #antibullyingweek  #PowerForGood and don't forget to tag @WarksEducation so we can see what you have been doing!
• Plan a lesson or assembly or organise an anti-bullying debate
• Take part in the Wear Blue Campaign on 18 November 

Free resources are available for schools at BullyingUK and Anti-Bullying Alliance

Resources are also available to order here from Action Work

On an ongoing basis, you can ensure that your school regularly consults with students, parents and carers and staff about issues relating to bullying and that you have an Anti-Bullying Policy that is up-to-date, shared with all members of your school community, and available on your school website.

Anti-Bullying in Warwickshire

The Family Information Service provides a dedicated helpline for reporting bullying, up-to-date advice for parents and support for prejudice related bullying.  There is also an Anti-Bullying Guide and Statement that has been developed to support people who are working with children and young people.

Prevent - FREE ZAK Training for Secondaries and Colleges

** Places still available **

FREE Training – ZAK Training for Secondary Schools and colleges

The University of Kent is offering two workshops FREE to introduce school representatives to the Zak resource. Delegates will have the opportunity to engage with the material first hand using laptop PCs in the training room. They will be able to consider how the benefits of using a very 'young people friendly' medium will facilitate engagement of young people about the risks of radicalisation.

Adrian Over attended a similar workshop some time ago and would recommend that schools take advantage of this opportunity to see the Zak resource.

The workshops will take place on:

Monday 28th November 2016

Workshop 1:
8.45-12.15

Workshop 2:
12.45- 4.15

Venue: Trident Technology and Business Centre, Poseidon Way, Warwick, CV34 6SW

Places are strictly limited to 20 per session and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

When booking, please indicate a first and second choice preference for workshops but please ensure you are available to attend whichever workshop is allocated. Every effort will be made to allocate first choice preferences but you will appreciate the need to ensure that both workshops are as fully attended as possible.

Schools and colleges are welcome to request 2 places but it will be necessary in the first instance to allocate 1 place per school/college to ensure that as many settings as possible are able to take up the offer of this resource.

NB Please note that delegates must have undertaken Designated Safeguarding Lead and Prevent training.

Please note that the workshops are being offered to schools, colleges and alternative providers free of charge. Schools and settings interested in accessing the resource after the workshop will be able to speak directly to the University of Kent. There will be a small cost to purchase a licence to use the resource but it will be a small and affordable cost.

To book your place at a workshop, please contact Sophie Morley via sophiemorley@warwickshire.gov.uk, indicating your and first and second choice preferences for the morning and afternoon sessions.

We hope that as many schools as possible are able to take advantage of this opportunity to enhance their curriculum in teaching children about the risks of radicalisation as part of safeguarding them from extremism.

Warwickshire Maintained Nursery Schools – supporting the early years sector

The six maintained Nursery Schools in Warwickshire currently lead an DfE Early Years Teaching Centre, but hope to join forces with a group of Coventry and Warwickshire Schools to form a Teaching School which will be called: ‘The Warwickshire Consortium Teaching School’ which will focus on the Early Years and Key Stage 1.

Teaching schools play a fundamental role in developing a self-sustaining system where:

• Trainee teachers learn from the best teachers, supported by a culture of coaching and mentoring. Our Early Years Teaching Centre has a strong strategic partnership with Warwick University and will offer 15 places on a specialist early years PGCE commencing in September 2017. Please contact Rachel Gillett head1020@welearn365.com  for further information.
• Professional development is a key element of a teaching schools activity and ours is focussed on what works, so that teachers, support staff and leaders improve knowledge and practice through encounters with excellent practice within and beyond their immediate environment.

• Our Teaching School will lead this work through a new organisation called Warwickshire Early Years – ‘Bringing Quality to Life’. Please see warwickshireearlyyears.co.uk for more information or to book onto one of our courses. This traded service will be delivered in partnership with the Local Authority and is developed from the long standing Early Years Advisory Team.

• Bespoke support and advice: The Teaching School Alliance we have planned is well placed to provide support in the arena of EYFS and KS1 because their leaders have local knowledge and can identify where the key resources and expertise lie. So, as well as professional development, Teaching Schools will identify and co-ordinate expertise in partner schools and PVI sector settings, using the best leaders and practitioners to:

• Lead peer-to-peer professional and leadership development
• Identify and develop leadership potential (succession planning and talent management)
• Provide support for other schools
• Designate and broker specialist leaders of education (SLEs)
• Engage in research and development activity

All of our support packages can be adapted to meet identified needs and include clear objectives, an agreed action plan, agreed criteria for success and robust evaluation.  You may wish to purchase one of our annual subscription packages to provide you with ongoing support or a one off evaluation day.  For more information on commissioning bespoke support in your school or early years settings please contact Amanda King at head1002@welearn365.com  

We can help you with:

• Quality audits and reviews
• Leadership and management coaching or mentoring for new managers and leaders
• Support packages: PSED, Well-Being, Leadership, SEN/d, Learning environments, Curriculum and Planning
• Teaching and learning support; joint lesson observations, video reflection, improving practice
• Speech and Language support / CPD
• Observation, Assessment and effective use of data
• Narrowing the gap
• Strategic Development
• Governance, Trust and Committee support and CPD

The Warwickshire Consortium Teaching School includes:

Atherstone Nursery School, Bedworth Heath Nursery School, Boughton Leigh Infants School, Hillfields Nursery School and Childrens Centre, Kenilworth Nursery School, Stockingford Early Years Centre, Stoke Heath Primary School, Sydenham Primary School, Warwick Nursery School, Whitnash Nursery School

Caring for your Career: An education for next health and care generation

Students in Warwickshire will have the opportunity to nurture their skills in health and social care, as leading training provider Midlands Training and Development partner with Warwickshire County Council to launch an exciting new project with schools across the region.

‘Caring for your Career’ is a lively 8 week programme that will see Years 11 and 12 students develop the skills needed to become a future health and care professional, via a series of interactive workshops specially-designed to investigate the values required within health and care sectors. Learners will benefit from workshop delivery tailored to each participating school, with contributions by NHS employers, GP practices and federations, and local private care providers.

In addition, students can choose to boost their learning with optional components including personalised 1-1 career profiling and apprenticeship-ready workshops. There will also be the opportunity to achieve a Level 2 Emergency First Aid at Work qualification to enhance employability.

Leader of Warwickshire County Council, and Chair of the Warwickshire Health & Wellbeing Board Izzi Seccombe,said: "These practical interactive workshops led by key practitioners in the sector will give a real flavour of the variety of roles on offer and provide young people with an insight into the fantastic work being carried out in the fields of health and social care in Warwickshire. It will provide an opportunity for young people to gain employment in the sector when they leave school, which in turn will help address employers' skills shortages.

People working in this sector carry out vital work in our communities and can make a real difference to the lives of some of the most vulnerable members of our community."

Clare McKenzie, Commercial Director of Midlands Training and Development, added “We’re looking forward to inspiring the next generation of carers”.

Compass Young Person’s Substance Misuse Service (YPSMS)

Smoking Cessation

Compass YPSMS are now offering smoking cessation support! The service has been helping young people and adults tackle their problematic substance misuse issues, helping them to move forward and live healthier and happier lives.

Now the service is able to offer support and guidance to those young people that want to stop smoking.

Referrals for smoking cessation can be made via the same referral form or by phone. When a referral has been received, a practitioner from the service will contact the young person and see them in a place where they feel most comfortable, including schools, youth clubs and colleges.  They will be able to access structured interventions, tailored to their presenting needs and be able to access pharmaceutical interventions to assist with their treatment where appropriate.

Hidden Harm

The service also is able to support those young people that may not be using substance themselves, but have been directly impacted upon by another’s substance use. Watching a parent use alcohol and substances can cause huge amounts of confusion and anxiety in young people. By accessing support they can talk about their feelings, and any questions they have around drugs and alcohol can be answered in a non-judgmental and informative way.

Contact us today for more information, support and advice:

01788 578227

Warwickshire Music - Providing memorable experiences for our children

Contributing to the school community through singing

Children from all eight Kenilworth area schools are involved in this term’s exciting musical programme ‘Singing Playgrounds’; a ground breaking partnership between Warwickshire Music and ExCathedra.

This innovative partnership started last year when 12 schools from across the county were involved in a project that culminated with a major concert at the University of Warwick arts centre in March 2016.

Children from the Kenilworth schools will feature in a large scale Christmas concert on December 10^th at All Saints parish church in Leamington Spa.

The Singing Playgrounds programme is set to continue in the New Year involving schools from the south and north of the county.

Showcase for excellence

Talented young musicians in two of our county groups are performing at a prestigious conference on Friday 11^th November.

The conference at the Chestford Grange hotel just outside Kenilworth brings together 150 music services from across the country.

Warwickshire County Viol Consort will be opening the conference and Warwickshire County Windband will be performing in the evening to delegates and parents.

Warwickshire Police Youth Academy

The Warwickshire Police Youth Academy took place over 15th & 16th October at Newbold Revel, Stretton On Fosse.

Over 160 young people aged between 14-16 years old attended for the full two day event which included sessions on Sexting; CSE; Hate Crime; Drugs; Prison Me No Way and Police - Have Your Say. They also saw demonstrations of Drones, Police Dogs and Firearms as well as a full emergency services (police, fire, ambulance) mock Road Traffic Collision (RTC). 

Feedback from the young people involved in the event was extremely positive. From the 139 forms received, 100% said they would recommend the Youth Academy to other people and schools, and 84% said they would apply for police cadets in future. The sessions themselves were also scored very highly, with 80% of the scored in the 8,9 and 10 markings  (10 = Excellent).

On the forms there was a free comment section, and below are just a selection of the quotes :- 

• “I really enjoyed the weekend because it has made me realise I don’t need to be naughty to do things right and make people laugh” 

• “I have really enjoyed the weekend and made me want to go in the police cadets”

• “this has been the best weekend ever and I would like to do it again"

• “I thought it was really good and an amazing experience”

Emails that are good enough for NASA

 

The council sends thousands of emails to customers and stakeholders from email lists maintained by different teams and stored in spreadsheets in separate team folders.

 

GovDelivery aims to change this...

 

Let's Get Digital campaign

E-mail: letsgetdigital@warwickshire.gov.uk

Web: warwickshire.gov.uk/letsgetdigital

Governor Hub

GovernorHub brings together the key things a governing board needs, it’s easy to use and update.  Offers a mobile app for IOS and Android; can be used to download documents to use in meetings even when there is no internet access.

At a “touch of a button” it offers:

• tools for the Clerk - to make life easier for the Clerk, the Clerk can be set up as an administrator and will easily be able to:

- set up meetings;

- upload documents for governors to review/use;

- download reports as and when necessary e.g. committee list, training records;

- add and remove governors;

- control which governors are on which committees;

- access and update governor contact information

• confidential and accessible storage for your own governing boards documents – all in one place and easily available to all governors

• a shared calendar which enables meetings and activities to be recorded instantly and which can be synchronised to governors’ phones and / or calendar

• a private area for governors / governing boards to exchange messages and emails

• governors can find key data about their school via links to local and national sources and are able to view data / search for different schools

• governors can access / amend their own personal details and update and maintain their training records

• access to our document resource library and news bulletins/updates

• national and local education news is available to everyone

• links to DfE and Ofsted data

• a governing board health check questionnaire to help with self-evaluation

For more information contact Governor Services on 01926 745120

Diary Dates

Governors’ Forum Meeting – Saturday 26th November 2016

Time: 9.30am – 12.30pm

Venue: Northgate House, Cape Rd, Northgate South Side, Warwick CV34 4JH

Patch Meetings Summer Term 2017  *

East:            Tuesday 9^th May 2017 - Brooke School (Rugby)

North:           Thursday 11^th May 2017 – Nicholas Chamberlaine School (Bedworth)

South:          Tuesday 16^th May 2017 – Stratford School (Stratford Upon Avon)

Central:        Thursday 18^th May 2017 - Aylesford School and Sixth Form College (Warwick)

All meetings start at 7.00pm

 *Suggestions for items / topics for future Patch Meetings always welcome, please email amandagardiner@warwickshire.gov.uk Tel: 01926 745139

Training

We have places available on the following courses

Induction to Governance
G16-IG-N-01
Mondays 14, 21 & 28 November 2016
1900 – 2130
Racemeadow Primary School, Atherstone

Health & Safety (for academies and schools where the school is the employer
G16-HAS-N-01
Monday 14 November 2016
1900-2100
Nicholas Chamberlaine School, Bedworth

Leading School Improvement 

G16-LSI-E-01

Tuesday 15 November 2016

1900 – 2100

Boughton Leigh Junior School

Rugby

Effective Clerking

G16-EC-S-01

Tuesday 15 November 2016

0930 – 1530

Stratford College

Stratford Upon Avon

Effective Classroom visits

G15-ESV-N-01

Wednesday 16 November 2016

1900 – 2100

Racemeadow Primary School

Atherstone 

Using School Performance data (Primary)

G16-USPD-N-01

Thursday 17 November 2016

1900 – 2100

Racemeadow Primary School

Atherstone

Effective governance in the early years  & foundation stage 

G16-EGEY-NB-01

Monday 28 November 2016

1900 – 2100

Nicholas Chamberlaine School

Bedworth

Taking the Chair

G16-TTC-C-01

Thursday 01 December 2016

0930 – 1630

Pound Lane Learning Centre

Leamington Spa

To book a place contact Gail Evans on 01926 745120 or gailevans@warwickshire.gov.uk

Studley High School becomes a Teaching School

© Photo courtesy of Redditch Standard

Studley High School has been selected to become a Teaching School, taking a leading role in recruiting and training new entrants to the teaching profession and creating development opportunities for qualified teachers from NQT to Senior Leadership. Studley High will be working closely with various schools and colleges in South Warwickshire and Worcestershire to share best practice and work collaboratively to support each other as well as other schools.

Headteacher, Lee Gray and the staff at Studley High School are extremely proud of this designation by the Department for Education.

Lee Gray said:  "We are delighted that the strengths of our school and its staff have enabled us to become a National Teaching School”

“Studley High will work with an alliance of local schools under the name 'The Shires Teaching School Alliance'. The name reflects the open and collaborative approach that will enable further improvements across the region as part of a school led system.”

Lee has also just been appointed to the role of National Leader of Education (NLE) which in turn means that Studley High School is now a recognised National Support School. He and his staff can use their success and professionalism to provide additional leadership capability in other schools.

Please contact Tania Jordan at Studley High for more information regarding the alliance, or teacher training: 01527 852 478 or teachingschool@studleyhighschool.org.uk

Hampton Lucy declared outstanding in SIAMS report

Hampton Lucy Church of England School has received an outstanding SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) grade.

SIAMS inspection focuses on the effect that the Christian ethos of the church school has on the children and young people who attend it. The principal objective of SIAMS inspection is to evaluate the distinctiveness and effectiveness of the school as a church school.

Hampton Lucy, a primary school close to Stratford upon Avon, was inspected in late September. The report notes that the school was outstanding in all aspects, from meeting the needs of all learners to the leadership and management of the school.

The report recognises high quality pastoral care and strong engagement with distinctive Christian values, saying: ‘The school is outstanding at meeting the needs of all learners... It makes a very positive impact on their academic and personal development.  This means that pupils are working at nationally expected levels with some exceeding these. It also results in a strongly shared view of the school as a family… This enables Hampton Lucy to provide a learning environment that is highly inclusive and supports pupils to succeed.’

Quick news roundup

Newton Regis Primary School

We were excited to hear that Newton Regis is going to create a sensory garden and teaching area in unused woodland behind the school. If you would like to find out more about the project, or support it, please visit community-fund.aviva.co.uk/voting/project/view/16-2572.

Brooke School, Rugby

On the topic of exciting outdoor developments, Brooke School, a special needs school in Rugby, has built a beach. The sandy area includes a classroom in a tram and plenty of room for teaching and other activities.

Harris CofE Academy, Rugby

Congratulations to Harris Academy on receiving the Gold Level for School Games Mark! The award recognises the academy’s commitment to the development of competition across the school and into the community. If your school is interested in the award, you can find the criteria here.

Boughton Leigh Infant School

The children at Boughton Leigh have been presented with the top platinum award in the schools category of the Rugby in Bloom competition, and honoured with a Queen’s 90th Birthday Schools’ Award for their royal-themed garden. Congratulations Boughton Leigh!

 If you have any news you’d like to share in Heads Up, please send it to schoolpartnerships@warwickshire.gov.uk.

WRAP Training courses

The Prevent Duty is part of the Government’s Prevent Strategy which aims to challenge all forms of terrorism and reduce the threat to the UK.  In Warwickshire, the county and district/borough councils, partner agencies and communities are working together to implement the Prevent Duty.  A Prevent partnership action plan for Warwickshire has been developed which includes raising awareness and providing learning and development opportunities for staff.

The Prevent Duty guidance makes it clear that frontline staff who engage with the public should

• understand what radicalisation means and why people may be vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism as a consequence of it
• be aware of what we mean by the term “extremism” and the relationship between extremism and terrorism
• know what measures are available to prevent people from becoming drawn into terrorism and how to challenge the extremist ideology that can be associated with it
• understand how to obtain support for people who may be being exploited by radicalising influences

There are 4 ways in which staff can learn about Prevent depending on their role

1. Prevent Radicalisation e-learning, GEN NS404 – All staff are recommended to completethe module available on WILMA as a minimum.

2. WRAP (Workshop to Raise Awareness of Prevent) – Recommended for all staff who have direct contact with the public in a care and support role (children, young people and adults). WRAP lasts for 2 hours and delegates will be introduced to Prevent, how to recognise potentially vulnerable individuals and how to refer. WRAP is bookable on WILMa for individuals but can also be arranged for whole teams if that’s preferable. Team training bookings should be arranged directly through Helene Heath.

3. WRAP Train the Trainer – Available for individuals who will become accredited by the Home Office to deliver WRAP training. Once accredited, individuals will be confident to cascade this training to colleagues and/or teams of people within Warwickshire. These sessions last for 3 hours and must be booked on WILMA.

4. Prevent briefing, hard copy format – This document is to brief staff who have no access to IT equipment and are unable to access any of the above training sessions, for example school catering staff or those who work outdoors.

If you would like to sign up to the WRAP courses please click on this link which will take you to Wilma. If you need instructions on how to sign into Wilma please click here. For further information on the WRAP courses please contact Helene Heath at heleneheath@warwickshire.gov.uk, Tel: 01926 412432 or visit www.safeinwarwickshire.com/prevent

CONTEST (Counter Terrorism Strategy) Event

Thank you to those schools that attended our first CONTEST event on 26th April. We would like to know if any attendees have implemented any action plans or made changes since the event.

We would like to share examples of best practice at our next event on 23rd January so would love to hear from you. Please email your best practice examples to Helene Heath at heleneheath@warwickshire.gov.uk

Next CONTEST event for schools who did not attend on 26th April - Monday 23rd January pm. Times, agenda and venue to be confirmed

Prevent - FREE ZAK Training for Secondaries and Colleges

** Places still available **

FREE Training – ZAK Training for Secondary Schools and colleges

The University of Kent is offering two workshops FREE to introduce school representatives to the Zak resource. Delegates will have the opportunity to engage with the material first hand using laptop PCs in the training room. They will be able to consider how the benefits of using a very 'young people friendly' medium will facilitate engagement of young people about the risks of radicalisation.

Adrian Over attended a similar workshop some time ago and would recommend that schools take advantage of this opportunity to see the Zak resource.

The workshops will take place on:

Monday 28th November 2016

Workshop 1:
8.45-12.15

Workshop 2:
12.45- 4.15

Venue: Trident Technology and Business Centre, Poseidon Way, Warwick, CV34 6SW

Places are strictly limited to 20 per session and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

When booking, please indicate a first and second choice preference for workshops but please ensure you are available to attend whichever workshop is allocated. Every effort will be made to allocate first choice preferences but you will appreciate the need to ensure that both workshops are as fully attended as possible.

Schools and colleges are welcome to request 2 places but it will be necessary in the first instance to allocate 1 place per school/college to ensure that as many settings as possible are able to take up the offer of this resource.

NB Please note that delegates must have undertaken Designated Safeguarding Lead and Prevent training.

Please note that the workshops are being offered to schools, colleges and alternative providers free of charge. Schools and settings interested in accessing the resource after the workshop will be able to speak directly to the University of Kent. There will be a small cost to purchase a licence to use the resource but it will be a small and affordable cost.

To book your place at a workshop, please contact Sophie Morley via sophiemorley@warwickshire.gov.uk, indicating your and first and second choice preferences for the morning and afternoon sessions.

We hope that as many schools as possible are able to take advantage of this opportunity to enhance their curriculum in teaching children about the risks of radicalisation as part of safeguarding them from extremism.

Free Mental Health Workshops for Professionals

The Primary Mental Health Service are providing FREE Mental Health Workshops for professionals. These workshops will address four key areas of child and adolescent mental health (ages 0-18), including Anxiety, Attachment, Depression and Self-Harm, and will run throughout the 2016-17 academic year.

Please click here to view the course dates and objectives

Places on the workshops are subject to availability.

To book your place on a workshop email Coventry.PMHS@covwarkpt.nhs.uk

(please include: Name, Role, Agency, Choice of Workshop/Date)

or to discuss a bespoke workshop please call 02476961476

Assessment Team Training Plan 2016-2017

Please click here to view the training course information.

Due to demand some additional training sessions are being provided (these are highlighted on the attached training plan).

For full course details and to book a place please click on the link and complete the booking form (please complete one form per delegate).

STA recommend that we provide support for statutory moderation – these courses are the support Warwickshire Local Authority offers for statutory moderation (see back page for all costings and venues)

NQT Events

Primary Headteachers' Briefings

These briefings are run by the Local Authority and are open to all leaders of primary phase settings in Warwickshire, including early years, infant, junior, special schools, academies and Free Schools and are FREE to attend.

We hold two briefings each term with the same agenda to allow colleagues from across the county the opportunity to attend the session most convenient for them. Booking details will be circulated in the next newsletter and via email to all headteachers.

Autumn Term:

Wed 9th November 2016, 9.00am - 12.30pm, TechnoCentre, Coventry University Technology Park, Puma Way, CV1 2TT

Wed 16th November 2016, 9.00am - 12.30pm, The Warwickshire Golf & Country Club, Leek Wootton, Warwick, CV35 7QT

Spring Term:

Tue 28 March 2017, 9.00am - 12.30pm

Wed 29 March 2017, 9.00am - 12.30pm

Summer Term:

Tue 13 June 2017, 9.00am - 12.30pm

Wed 14 June 2017, 9.00am - 12.30pm

Venues for spring and summer to be confirmed. 

Please email schoolpartnerships@warwickshire.gov.uk to confirm your attendance.

Secondary Heads' and College Principals' Briefings

These briefings are run by the Local Authority and open to all leaders of secondary phase settings in Warwickshire, including maintained secondary schools, academies, Free Schools and Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges and are FREE to attend.

Autumn Term:

Tue 22 Nov 2016, 9.00am - 12.30pm, The Warwickshire Golf & Country Club, Leek Wootton, Warwick, CV35 7QT

Spring Term:

To be confirmed

Summer Term:

Thu 29th June 2017, 9am - 12.30pm

Venues for spring and summer to be confirmed.

Please email schoolpartnerships@warwickshire.gov.uk to confirm your attendance.

Warwickshire Closing the Gap Conference 2016

Friday 2nd December 2016, 8.30/9.00-12.30

Chesford Grange, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2LD

** This event is targeted at schools whose data shows a greater than average gap between disadvantaged pupils and others in Warwickshire and where there are more than 5 disadvantaged pupils.**

The aim of this conference is to look at successful school strategies to close the achievement gap of disadvantaged pupils in schools. Specific objectives are:

•    To examine how disadvantaged pupils are helped to achieve high standards in schools
•    To look at transitions between primary and secondary
•    To share good practice to raise achievement and narrow the gap

Closing the gap between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and their peers is the biggest challenge faced by policy makers, teachers and school leaders in England, and is our highest priority in Warwickshire.

The conference is an opportunity to hear from Lorna Fitzjohn, Ofsted Regional Director West Midlands and to learn what has proven to work from the experiences of classroom practitioners and schools where the gap has narrowed.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

There are two places available per school available for Head teachers, Deputy Head teachers and/or Chair of Governors or their representative.

 HOW DO I APPLY?

Please email sophiethompson@warwickshire.gov.uk to book your place. Alternatively telephone 01926 746961.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Sophie Thompson                              

Closing the Gap Project Manager       

Education and Learning                     

Tel: 01926 746961                             

sophiethompson@warwickshire.gov.uk

Programme

8.30               Registration, tea and coffee

9.00               Welcome and opening remarks

Overview of the Closing the gap project and what we have learned so far. Jane Spilsbury, Service Manager - Learning and Performance, Education and Learning

9.15               Ofsted perspective on Closing the Gap and policy overview

Update on national and Warwickshire’s position on Closing the Gap and the latest policy messages including concerns over transitions from Primary to Secondary. Lorna Fitzjohn, Ofsted Regional Director West Midlands

9.45               Questions

10.00             Science Transition Project

Overview of the Primary and Secondary science partnerships which are being established to support transition and raise standards in Science. Amanda Poole, Science Specialist Teacher, Ogden Teacher Fellow, Primary Science Teaching Trust Fellow at Shrubland Primary.  

10.30             Tea and coffee

10.45             Workshops – session 1

 11.30             Workshops – session 2  

 12.15             Sum up and close

12.30             Lunch

FREE CPD FOR HEADS - providing effective models of school to school support

Warwickshire County Council invite Headteachers to attend. Please note this training is only available for Head Teachers from Primary Schools.

South: 11th November 2016, 9:30- 4pm

Stratford Sports and Cricket Club

North: 28th November 2016, 9:30- 4pm

CHESS Centre, Nuneaton

Central- 13th January 2017, 9:30-4pm

The Pound Lane Learning Centre, Leamington Spa

For more information please click here

CONTEST (Counter Terrorism Strategy) Event

Thank you to those schools that attended our first CONTEST event on 26th April. We would like to know if any attendees have implemented any action plans or made changes since the event.

We would like to share examples of best practice at our next event on 23rd January so would love to hear from you. Please email your best practice examples to Helene Heath at heleneheath@warwickshire.gov.uk

Next CONTEST event for schools who did not attend on 26th April - Monday 23rd January pm. Times, agenda and venue to be confirmed

Primary SEMH Steering Group Bids to Build Capacity 2017/18

Nurture Conference

Susan Milewski, Rugby Free Primary School - One Year On

Susan Milewski, Headteacher of the recently opened Free Primary School in Rugby talks about the first hurdles, successes and achievements of the school in its first year.

What a difference a year makes! I am pleased to introduce myself as Susan Milewski, the Headteacher of Rugby Free Primary School.

Over the past year and a half, it has been my privilege to see Rugby Free Primary School grow from being a thought from a local community member to being a name on a piece of paper, moving on to it being a building site and then to it finally opening it’s doors in September 2015!

Last year, we welcomed our first cohort of children. By Christmas, when we had our official school opening and presented our first ever Christmas play, the parents stated that we had ‘exceeded their expectations by far’. By the end of the year, all our children had made rapid progress and our attainment was significantly above both local and national but more than this, our children had become confident, astute and polite young people, who had high aspirations for themselves and were fully prepared to enter Key Stage One and continue their journey through education.

RFPS is my first headship and it has been a rollercoaster ride but I feel very lucky to have been given this opportunity. Each school, cohort, child and family presents a different challenge and opportunity, but nothing comes close to having the opportunity to shape the future of a school by setting it up from scratch with a clear vision and journey to success. At RFPS we aim to prepare our children for the future which lies ahead by providing a wide range of exciting learning opportunities and excellent quality teaching and learning.  

RFPS is part of a Multi Academy Trust, Knowledge School Trust. The trust is actively involved in our school and is forward thinking and professional. The trust motto is ‘ludis studiis’ meaning ‘in play, in studies’ which is very important to us and integral in all that we do as we want all learning to be fun and engaging.

The school was visited last term by the then Secretary of State for Education, the Right Honourable Nicky Morgan. After her visit, she immediately tweeted that our school was ‘inspirational’: exactly what we aim to achieve and the perfect start in a growing Academy Trust.

If you would like to find out more about our school, about our Trust or about free schools in general, please do not hesitate to contact us, our door is always open and you would be more than welcome to pop in and visit us.

Christine Green introduces the new Rugby Free Secondary School

Christine Green, head of the new free secondary school in Rugby, introduces her school and how it has thrived so far during the first term.

My name is Christine Green, and I am head of the Free Secondary School in Rugby. Rugby Free Secondary School (RFSS) is a brand new, 11-19 school which opened in September 2016. I wanted to build a new school because I wanted to start from scratch, to make something brilliant from the ground up rather than inheriting it. I wanted to make a school where every child could get the help they needed when they needed it and in an environment that fostered this.

Our first few months have been amazing. We have great staff and teachers, and hard-working students. Following the success of our sister school, Rugby Free Primary School, which opened in September 2015, we are expecting great things.The school will grow organically with an intake of 180 Year 7 students each year until reaching full capacity of 1,370 students, helping to address the current and accelerating need for high-quality secondary school places in Rugby. RFSS is co-educational, non-selective, non-denominational and free to attend.

At RFSS, we provide a high-quality, challenging, broad and balanced education for all our children. All staff share a  passion for teaching and are committed to delivering the highest standards. It is our aim at RFSS to capture the natural anticipation and excitement that each child feels and provide rewarding, appropriate challenges that allow pupils to feel successful and confident.

The school has a strong focus on the STEMM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and Music) because we believe that all children benefit from a well-thought-out and coordinated approach to these challenging areas of the curriculum. There are fantastic higher education and employment opportunities for young people who excel in these areas and we will be focused on ensuring a place at a top university, or employment with excellent career prospects from the day that the children join us in Year 7.

We have already won our first football match, held 2 open evenings, set baseline tests, held a parents’ evening and ran a number of charity events. The pupils have all worked hard in their lessons and are thriving. The start of this new opportunity to build the best school in Rugby has begun with a drive, commitment and an energy I have never witnessed before. I am so proud of what we have achieved so far! Watch this space. RFSS is on the map and we are going to set the world on fire with our positivity, intelligence and determination.

Access and Organisation Team

School Organisation and Planning Manager, Emma Basden-Smith is currently on maternity leave, with Bern Timings acting up into this role in her absence, alongside Chloe McCart.

Bern's substantive post, the role of Project Support Officer is being covered by Thomas Allen with additional support from Hannah Heath.

Contact Details:

Bern Timings - berntimings@warwickshire.gov.uk  Tel: 01926 742 073

Chloe McCart - chloemccart@warwickshire.gov.uk   Tel: 01926 742 315

Thomas Allen - thomasallen@warwickshire.gov.uk   Tel: 01926 742 073

Hannah Heath - hannahheath@warwickshire.gov.uk  Tel: 01926 742 358

We would like to congratulate Emma and her husband David who welcomed Jack into the world on 19th October. He was a healthy 6lbs 7oz and all are doing well.